Germany set to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, Der Spiegel reports

Germany says "YES!" to sending tanks to Ukraine

CNN reports:

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/01/24/...-2-tanks-ukraine-announcement-intl/index.html

 

It is no longer so that Germany says "Nein".
Now Germany has said "Ja" = YES.

 

Now:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64391272

 

Ukraine is de facto NATO.....now.

 

My bet is that Russian gunship pilots are very excited about having a soon to be target rich environment of tanks, whether they are driven and maintained by Germans, US or Ukes. The gunship pilots in Vietnam never saw tanks, but they loved targets in general.

 

Making progress toward reaching NATO standards of training and equipment, anyway. I hope it's enough to counter Putler's Zerg strategy of sending masses of low-quality Zerglings to try and overwhelm Ukrainian defenses.

 

And there lotsa Stingers operators out there just waiting for some fresh birds to appear.

Just recently 3 KA52s,SU25 were popped outta mid air....no survivors from what I hear.

There hasn't been much "air traffic" by the Mafiosi as of late....lotsa birds plucked outta the sky.

If Apaches make it to the scene....oh jeepers!!

 

Possibly....the Dwarfstan midget is desperate with these mass attacks...there's been mumblings about some "op" against Finland/Sweden before the join NATO....from what I've seen on Russki milbloggers....

 

If ruZZian milbloggers are the source, I think it's safe to say it won't happen.

 

Could be...just saying....only way someone knows ....is if it actually happens?

 

RuZZia's all too predictable response:

26 min ago
Zaporizhzhia city struck in Russian attack, city council says

From CNN's Maria Kostenko in Kyiv

The southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia came under Russian attack on Wednesday, according to the city council.

One woman remains under rubble, Anatoliy Kurtiev, secretary for the Zaporizhzhia City Council, said on Telegram. “All relevant services are working at the scene,” he said.

“The damned Russian creatures have viciously attacked Zaporizhzhia today in broad daylight. A private house in one of the city's districts was destroyed as a result of an enemy strike.”​

Live updates: https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/russia-ukraine-war-news-1-25-23/index.html

 

If they had formally joined earlier, the invasion probably wouldn't have happened. Russia will do what it can to hold on to as much stolen territory as it can, likely resulting in seizing some ground, but they aren't going to keep on with their fascist plan to take over the entire country. Hopefully Ukraine joins NATO so that we don't see more fascist attacks like this.

 

LOL! Russia hardly even flies any helicopters in enemy airspace any more on account that they kept getting shot down while others kept falling out of the sky because of shoddy maintenance. Even their jets pretty much refuse to even fly near the front lines much less into enemy controlled airspace.

 

30 min ago
Ukrainian defense minister says "more good news" to be announced following call with US counterpart

From CNN’s Sarah Dean in Kyiv

Ukraine's Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov had a phone call with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Wednesday, Reznikov tweeted.

“Discussed the results of #Ramstein 8, further strengthening of #UAarmy, including tanks supplies&maintenance of the new armament,” the Ukrainian official said, adding that “more good news” will be announced soon.

See the tweet: ​

Had a call with @SecDef Lloyd James Austin III
Discussed the results of #Ramstein 8, further strengthening of #UAarmy, including tanks supplies&maintenance of the new armament.
More good news to be announced soon.
We have full trust&strong support of
Together until victory! pic.twitter.com/XaoRv1EGVn​

— Oleksii Reznikov (@oleksiireznikov) January 25, 2023​

32 min ago
Ukraine is in line to receive dozens of Leopard 2 tanks. Here’s what countries pledged so far

From CNN’s Jo Shelley, Mick Krever and Lauren Kent

The Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has called on allies in possession of German-made Leopard 2 tanks to send “as many of them as possible” now that Germany has said it will give Kyiv tanks from Berlin’s own inventory and approve their re-export from other countries to Ukraine.

An aide to Ukraine’s Presidential Administration Mykhailo Podolyak told CNN last week that Kyiv wanted “300 to 400 of these tanks,” which he said could, “sharply accelerate the tempo of the war and initiate the closing stages.”

CNN cannot confirm the total number of Leopard 2 tanks to be delivered, but pledges made by at least five countries mean the Ukrainian military is in line to receive dozens of the tanks.

Here’s a look at what countries have pledged so far:

Germany: Berlin has said it will provide 14 Leopard 2 tanks, which it described as “a first step."

Poland: A top foreign policy adviser to the Polish President has told CNN that Warsaw wanted to send “one company” of tanks. Marcin Przydacz, Head of the President’s International Policy Bureau, would not specify exactly how many tanks Poland intended to send but said that a company of tanks was usually made up of “between 10 and 14 Leopard 2 vehicles.”

The Netherlands: Prime Minister Mark Rutte told CNN affiliate RTL News on Wednesday that his government would “seriously consider” purchasing the 18 Leopard 2 tanks it leases from Germany and sending them to Ukraine. The Netherlands doesn’t own any of the tanks.

Norway: Two Oslo-based newspapers reported on Tuesday that the Norwegian government was considering whether to send some of its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, according to Reuters. Dagens Naeringsliv reported that Norway might contribute between 4 and 8 of the country’s 36 Leopard 2 tanks. The Norwegian defense minister told CNN: “We do not wish to comment on these deliberations or any ongoing or future contributions.”

Spain: Defense Minister Margarita Robles has said Madrid is willing to send some of its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, Spanish state news agency EFE reported Wednesday. However Robles said it was not immediately possible to determine how many of the tanks might be sent.

In addition to the Leopard 2s, the US is finalizing plans to send approximately 30 Abrams main battle tanks to Ukraine, two US officials familiar with the deliberations told CNN on Tuesday.

The UK has already announced it will send 12 of their Challenger 2 tanks to aid the Ukrainian offensive.

CNN's Claudia Otto, Antonia Mortensen and Al Goodman contributed reporting to this post. ​

Live updates: https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/russia-ukraine-war-news-1-25-23/index.html

 

Mafiosi needs to be uprooted and pushed out of all Ukraine....conceding any territory...means European streets will see fighting down the road.

Kremlin Dwarfstan isn't stopping....afaic.

 

3 KA52s....1 SU25....were "improved" the other day alone.

No survivors I hear.....courtesy of Stinger Incorporated....

 

3 min ago
Leopard tanks "will significantly strengthen" Ukraine's combat capabilities, NATO chief says

(CNN)

NATO Security General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Germany’s announcement of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, telling CNN that it “will significantly strengthen their combat capabilities.”

"We have seen how the Russians are digging in and are building fortifications," Stoltenberg said. "If we want Ukraine to be able to both to defend against upcoming Russian offenses, we know the Russians are planning for new offenses, and also if we want Ukraine to be able to retake territory, we need to give them more armor, more heavy and modern weapons."

Berlin said it will provide a company of 14 Leopard 2 A6 tanks from Bundeswehr stocks, with the training of the Ukrainian crews to begin quickly in Germany. In addition to training, the package will also include logistics, ammunition and maintenance of the systems.

Asked if the introduction of the Leopard tanks and reports that the US is finalizing its plans to send Abrams tanks will give Ukraine the capability to win, Stoltenberg said Western allies "need to provide even more support, not only to ensure that Ukraine survives but actually ensure that Ukraine is able to liberate more territory, win and prevail as a sovereign."​

Live updates: https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/russia-ukraine-war-news-1-25-23/index.html

Leopards are bad-ass tanks and will clearly make up the bulk of Ukraine's new tank arsenal. It's going to be a hot summer..

 

Well every bit helps; and these numbers are just preliminary shipments, which could potentially increase, at least from a few countries. But what we are initially looking at, is 30 M1s, 12 Challenger 2s, and the balance of about 100 total, in Leopard 2s. According to those figures, this only about a quarter to a third of the 3 to 4 hundred tanks, Ukraine had hoped for.

 

Dunno how true this rumor is(from Russki milblogs)....but there's some chatter about the Kremlin secretly approaching the Taliban in Afghanistan about purchasing leftover US/NATO hardware that was left behind by coalition forces during the stint in Astan.

If true..that is.....Mafiosi is surely scraping around. Seems like they don't have much faith in their own hardware if it's plausible.

 

Now the pressure on Russian field-commander, Gen. Valery Gerasimov is being doubled. He's the Russian 'wunderkind' who is thought to be a "different breed of cat" because he is supposed to be quite different from the other Russian generals, who seem to still be steeped in WWII methodology.

Given the fugged-up situation Gerasimov has just inherited from the discredited general he has replaced as the Russian military commander in the Ukraine war, Gerasimov must choose quickly between preparing to launch big 'shock-wave' assault on all of Ukraine (which didn't work at well in 2022), or, fortifying those portions of eastern Ukraine that have been 'absorbed' by Russian forces.

My uneducated guess? He'll probably go for the 'fortification'-and-hold option, but possibly (POSSIBLY) employing limited use of tactical nuclear weapons against any big Ukrainian assaults on Russian positions. It is hard to imagine that Putin is going to stand idly by and let NATO flood the Kiev government with large amounts of increasingly-sophisticated, ultra-powerful battle platforms like the Leopard 2 panzer and Abrams tanks and do nothing about it while his outgunned, demoralized Russian forces freeze in the muck of the Donbas....

Whatever the Russians do, they'd probably better get it DONE by no later than the arrival of summer. If not, Gerasimov will probably be demoted and cast aside -- and then who would Putin put in his place? Another stodgy, old Russian general who is still trying to bask in the glory of defeating the Nazis at Stalingrad and St. Petersburg many decades ago...? Putin is no 'Joseph Stalin', and, today's Russian military is not the tougher-than-nails, madder-than-hell Red Army that crushed the Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front in World War II....

 

Russian gunships have been cleared from the sky by Ukrainian anti-aircraft prowess.

 

Your comment makes it seem like you are rooting for the Russian gunship pilots in this encounter.

 

I'm reading on YouTube....notable Russki blogger Konstantin....that as of March 1 borders are closed and anyone attempting to leave RF will be questioned by FSB as to why you're leaving....assessments made on the spot as to whether to detain, conscript, or possibly imprison persons for doing so.

If true...welcome back USSR 2.0.

If Gerasimov chooses to "fortify positions"....that's not boring well for the future.

Afaic....fast forward this...and you see insurrections in Warsaw,Prague,Budapest,Tallinn,Riga,Vilnius....just saying.

 

I wouldn't be surprised, of course, considering they're actually relying on T-62s at this point. No doubt they'll take what ever they can scrounge up.

 

Right, it's just the start of a major transition for Ukraine's military. It will at least give them some new offensive capability not too far down the road and will allow them to perhaps use their existing tank fleet a little more aggressively if they so choose, since superior replacements are on the way.